Tom Lopatosky – The Home Improvement Expert

Exterior

Low Slope Roofing

As crazy as it sounds, not all reputable roofing companies know what they are doing. Come to think of it, perhaps that can be said about every trade. Not all reputable _____________ (fill in the trade name) companies know what they are doing. It may ...
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Building Code

What is Building Code?

When it comes to things that we are unfamiliar with, easing into the “knowledge” circle of things can definitely be quite intimidating. This is true throughout almost every aspect of life, certainly within the variety of niches and spheres which comprise the very fabric of ...
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egress windows-004 Window

Egress Windows

Many folks often daydream about the types of home improvements that they would like to see occur on their home if they had the opportunity to do so. At the top of the list, more times than not, is to “finish” the basement. Thoughts of ...
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Drywall

Horsehair Plaster

Being at an age where I find myself more and more often starting sentences with the phrase “When I was growing up…”, sometimes coming across different items that we tackle on a day in and day out basis truly reminds me of something that I ...
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Hardwood Floors

Polyurethane vs. Varnish

When it comes to wood finishes, it seems like the options are infinite in terms of what types of wood finishing systems may be the best fit for your particular project in both allowing maximum beauty & durability in balance with whatever conditions may be ...
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Interior

Converting Interior Natural Wood Trim to Painted Trim

Although nowhere near the equivalent of a locksmith teaching a budding thief how to pick a lock, the topic of this article feels similarly dirty to me. Doing what we do, we see some of the most beautiful natural wood trim on the interior of ...
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Exterior

The Overly Annoying Woodpecker

There are few pests hitting up people’s homes that approach the level of modern annoyances more so than New England woodpeckers. Don’t get me wrong. Termites, carpenter ants, mice, carpenter bees, etc., are all unwelcome guests which cause enormous amounts of damage to our homes ...
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Exterior

Graffiti

Believe it or not, there are quite a number of folks out there that consider graffiti to be as admired a form of art as others may view a Rembrandt or the Mona Lisa herself. This view particularly gained steam in the 70s, specifically in ...
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Exterior

The Hidden Rotted Wood That is Leading Your Home to Be Eaten Away

Two homeowners that we have recently worked with have had about as good an attitude as one might imagine for addressing issues at their home that were far from ideal. In the first instance, we were working on the Client’s home and uncovered significant additional ...
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Interior

Acid Rain Effects on Windows

Earlier this year, we washed the exterior of a Client’s home and received a call of concern. The actual washing came out nice and the Client seemed quite pleased as the home was now free from the unsightly mildew and mold which had set in ...
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Deck Care

What Happens When You Stain Over Paint?

One of the biggest benefits of applying solid stain to the exterior of your home is that typically it does not “fail” in the manner traditional paints “fail”. When people think of exterior paint failing, what comes to mind is often visions of peeling/flaking paint ...
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Contractors

What is a “Square”?

Similar to many areas of life, in construction, words can have many meanings. Perhaps a great example of this is the word “square”. A square can refer to many things. As with areas outside of construction, a square can mean the geometrical shape in which ...
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Basement Door

When a Doghouse is NOT a Doghouse

When people hear the term ‘doghouse’ many connotations may come to mind. One may think of the structure that Snoopy used to be depicted to be sleeping on in the old ‘Peanuts’ cartoons. The picture of a more traditional type of doghouse may also be ...
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Exterior

Why Having Gutters on Your Home “Should” Not Matter

Architects and Contractors have been arm wrestling with each other since the beginning of time. The reason being that architects love to hone in on aesthetics and contractors, on the other hand, tend to focus on practicality. In fact, sometimes if there is not someone ...
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Exterior

What Happens When it Rains in the Middle of Exterior Painting?

Many years ago, at some point in the mid to late 90s, we were painting a home I believe in Northern RI (I want to say either Lincoln, RI or Cumberland, RI) and while we were working on the home, we got caught in a ...
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OUR HISTORY

LOPCO Expert

While looking for a way to pay his way through college, Tom Lopatosky started LOPCO Contracting in 1995. Since then, when Tom began the company with less than $100 in his pocket, LOPCO has grown to become the Home Improvement Contractor of choice for a wide number of people throughout Rhode Island and Southern New England. Tom learned many valuable lessons as he grew the business while attending college. Ultimately Tom (in the year 2000) graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree with a Concentration in Marketing, a Bachelor’s Degree with a Concentration in Finance, and a Minor in Computer Information Systems from Bryant University (Bryant College at the time) in Smithfield, RI. 

Prior to earning his degrees, Tom graduated from Classical High School in Providence, RI (where Tom won the ‘Al Morro Award’ for Football in 1994). After High School, Tom left for the University of South Carolina to pursue his dream of playing football. Soon after his mother passed away in 1997, he relocated back to RI and completed his college career at Bryant. Tom continued to play minor league football for 9 years and was part of 4 championship-playing football teams. 

As the demands of the company grew, Tom decided to retire from football in 2006 and focus on LOPCO full time.
Under Tom’s leadership, the company culture of striving to overdeliver on every project they undertake has led to much repeat business and their clients are often very happy to tell their friends and families about their experiences with LOPCO. This has helped tremendously as LOPCO has sought to further increase their customer base. Tom’s long-term goal for the company is “To lead LOPCO Contracting in continuing to paint and build the way to social consciousness while becoming the largest painting and repair company in New England.”

Tom lives in East Providence, RI with his girlfriend Leslie and his daughters Tamara & Ivelisse. Tom has held a variety of titles over the years including President of LOPCO Contracting, Regional Board Member of the PCA’s (Painting Contractors Association) Northeast Council, President of the RI Chapter of the PCA, Board Member of RIBA (Rhode Island Builders Association), and Building & Property Trades Advisory Committee Member for MTTI (MotoRing Technical Training Institute in Seekonk, MA).

Tom has been a RIBA member since 2008 and a member of PCA since 2006. In 2013 Tom received the PCA’s National “Humanitarian of the Year” Award, a “40 under 40” Award from Providence Business News, and his BNI (Business Network International) Warwick peers voted him “Member of the Year”. Tom has been involved with BNI for a number of years as well as quite a few other networking organizations.

In 2006 Tom was inducted into the Classical High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Over the years Tom has been a contributing writer and/or columnist for ExpertBeacon.com, RI Local Magazine, ShopInRI Magazine, The Jewish Voice, The Rhode Island Echo, The RI Wave, the East Providence Reporter, and The Smithfield Times and also has had weekly Home Improvement Tips that have run on the radio (630AM & 99.7FM WPRO in the RI area) and on television (WPRI 12 in the RI area). 

Tom is Roman Catholic and is a firm believer that success is often correlated with a person’s faith, not necessarily a particular religion, but faith in a greater power. 

Roman 12:12 is his favorite Bible verse which reads, “”Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.” Tom is very involved with his Church (St. Adalbert’s Church in Providence, RI) – Tom served as Chairperson of St. Adalbert’s Church’s Polish-American Festival for 6 years – and really tries to make it a point on attending service at least once per week (Tom also spends 30-45 minutes in prayer prior to beginning each day).
As a fun sidenote, Tom made it as a Semi-Finalist in the second season of “The Apprentice” (the round right before the finalists are on the show!).

Tom has been featured on the Real Estate Radio Network, the ‘Discover Rhode Island’ TV show, and on The Strongpreneur Nation Podcast. Today, Tom has his own weekly Home Improvement radio show on 630AM & 99.7FM WPRO in the RI area – ‘PROTALK Home Improvement’. Tom feels VERY fortunate to have been involved with a number of terrific community organizations over the years, such as: Amos House, Children’s Wishes, Clinica Esperanza, Goodwill Industries of Rhode Island, Habitat for Humanity of RI – Greater Providence, The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence, The Town of Johnston, RI Police Department, Junior Achievement of RI, One Neighborhood Builders (formerly Olneyville Housing Corporation), Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, YouthBuild Providence, and YMCA of Greater Providence. Two of the biggest community initiatives that Tom has been involved with are being a lead organizer of ‘Clean Day’ on the Woonasquatucket River Greenway for nine years and a lead organizer for YouthBuild Providence’s annual ‘Build-a-Bed’ event for four years.

In addition to LOPCO, Tom also owns Cheer UP Athletics – an All-Star Cheerleading Gym located in East Providence, RI – and The Smithfield Times. Tom is an avid New York Yankee, University of South Carolina (ALL of their sports!), and Providence College Basketball fan. Tom’s extensive experience and overall industry knowledge have made Tom one of the most sought-after experts in the Home Improvement Industry. Remarkably, Tom is often even called upon by other contractors to help them through challenges in their businesses (often speaking at National Industry Conferences). Because he has made it a focus to delve into and solve problems that others in the industry simply want nothing to do with, Tom has become an invaluable resource for homeowners near and far. With all being said, it confidently is safe to say that Tom Lopatosky truly is – The Home Improvement Expert!!!

Print Media Features & Published Pieces

Pro Talk Podcasts